We have questions — Ray Davies has answers

Kinks' lead talks hits, musical, Billy Corgan

November 10, 2011|By Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune reporter

According to the Billboard charts, the Kinks' biggest hit was the 1983 nostalgic single "Come Dancing," a song that Kinks leader Ray Davies is unlikely to play Friday in his Chicago Theatre concert backed by Los Angeles band the 88.

The charts have never told the story with this seminal British band, whose mid-late-'60s artistic peak was met with commercial indifference but now constitutes the heart of a beloved catalog that Davies has been exploring in his storytelling-rich tours and on last year's album "See My Friends," on which he revisits old songs with such artists as Bruce Springsteen ("Better Things") and Billy Corgan ("All Day and All of the Night/Destroyer").

We caught up with the 67-year-old singer-songwriter this week and talked about his should-have-been hits, collaborations and prospects for a Kinks Broadway musical and reunion.

Q. According to Billboard,your biggest hit was "Come Dancing."

A. Really?

Q: What do you think your biggest hit should have been?

A: I'm always amazed how because we were banned from the States at the time (by the musicians' union), things like "Sunny Afternoon" and "Waterloo Sunset" weren't big hits. ("Sunny Afternoon" peaked at No. 14 in the U.S.; "Waterloo Sunset" didn't chart.) They were massive hits all over Europe and most of the world.

Q: What song of yours were you most surprised wasn't a hit?

A. "Celluloid Heroes." But it was seven minutes long (laughs), and that was in the days (1972) when records still had to be like 2:30, 3 minutes tops.

Q: Is there going to be a Kinks Broadwaymusical?

A: There is one in process. There's a production company in London signing up writers to do it now as we speak, actually, and that sounds very exciting. But it won't be a jukebox musical. You couldn't do that with the Kinks.

Q: How involved in that are you?

A: You know, I give the nod and just talk to them and just hear their ideas and try to encourage them, fill in any gaps. I've written a treatment with them that they can work from.

Q: Did you have say in which songs will be used?

A: No, we've left that open. They might use some unexpected catalog songs rather than going for the obvious string of hits straightaway, because it will be a stage play with music rather than a jukebox.

Q: People ask you about a Kinks reunion all the time. Are those questions more bittersweet with Pete Quaifegone? (Original bassist Quaifedied last yearof kidney failure.)

A: I remember speaking to Pete about the reunion thing, and he had some health issues at that time, and he said it would be unlikely he could travel, so we had the heads-up about Pete. The reunion with the Kinks, I did some tracks with Mick Avory, the original drummer, just to sort of try to do what we call demos. He's a great player still, and he sits behind the vocal. He listens. You think he's not listening, but he sits behind and waits to see where my voice lands, and he puts the backbeat behind it. He's a very sensitive drummer. So we might do it in fits and starts and bring (Ray's brother) Dave (Davies) in at a later date. I'll never say never with my brother, because he's totally unpredictable.

Q: Is he able to play and everything since his (2004)stroke?

A: Oh, he plays. Yeah, sure, sure. He plays.

Q: I saw you last year at the Riviera.Will Friday's Chicago Theatreshow have a similar format, where you do some songs acoustic and then bring out the 88?

A: Yeah. I'll cover the waterfront and throw in some surprises that have come up because of the collaborations album. It'll be a fun night.

Q: Do you get any of the people from the collaborations album to come on stage with you in some of these places?

A: It nearly happened in Pittsburgh, but Bruce (Springsteen) was just a day late. But it would be nice. You can't organize these things. If people are around, they'll do it, but I doubt if it will happen in Chicago.